FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Alabama Department of Corrections shows Vernon Madison, who is scheduled to be executed for the 1985 murder of Mobile police officer Julius Schulte. Lawyers for an Alabama death row inmate have asked a federal court to stop his execution on May 12, 2016, saying that strokes and dementia have left him incompetent and unable to remember the murder he was convicted of committing or understand why he's about to be executed. (Alabama Department of Corrections, via AP, File)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court says the execution of an Alabama inmate will not go forward Thursday.

A divided court on Thursday evening maintained a stay for Vernon Madison ordered by an appellate court.

Madison was scheduled to be put to death Thursday night for the 1985 shooting death of Mobile police officer Julius Schulte. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals halted the execution, saying it wanted to review claims that the 65-year-old inmate is mentally incompetent because of strokes and dementia.

The Alabama attorney general’s office unsuccessfully asked the high court to let the execution proceed.

Schulte had responded to a domestic call involving Madison. Prosecutors said Madison later crept up and shot Schulte in the back of the head as he sat in his police car.

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4:20 p.m.

Lawyers for an Alabama death row inmate are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to maintain a court-ordered halt to his execution.

Attorneys for Vernon Madison told the court Thursday his execution should remain blocked until an appeals court can review claims that strokes and dementia have left him mentally incompetent for lethal injection.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stopped the execution just seven hours before Madison was set to die Thursday night for the shooting death of Mobile police officer Julius Schulte in 1985.

The Alabama attorney general’s office is asking the high court to let the execution proceed as planned before the death warrant expires at midnight. The state argues that a county court last month found Madison competent for execution.

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2 p.m.

The Alabama attorney general’s office is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to let the execution of an inmate proceed.

The attorney general’s office on Thursday afternoon asked the high court to vacate a stay of execution for Vernon Madison issued hours earlier by the 11th U.S. Court of Criminal Appeals.

Three judges on the 11th Circuit said there should be time to review lawyers’ claims that it would be unconstitutional to execute Madison because strokes and dementia have left him mentally incompetent. The court scheduled oral arguments in June.

The state argued in the emergency petition that a judge has ruled Madison competent.

Madison was scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection Thursday evening for the 1985 killing of Mobile police Officer Julius Schulte.

The Alabama attorney general’s office asked the court for a quick decision since Madison’s death warrant expires at midnight.

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10:40 a.m.

A federal appeals court has delayed the execution of an Alabama inmate, saying there should be more time to review his claim that he is no longer competent because of strokes and dementia.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the stay Thursday morning, about seven hours ahead of when Vernon Madison was scheduled to die by lethal injection.

Madison was convicted in the 1985 killing Mobile police Officer Julius Schulte. Schulte had responded to a domestic call involving Madison. Prosecutors said Madison crept up and shot Schulte in the back of the head as he sat in his police car.

Madison’s attorneys had argued that he no longer had a rational understanding of his impending execution. The court said it will hold oral arguments on Madison’s competency in June.

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3 a.m.

Alabama is preparing to execute a man convicted in the 1985 killing of a police officer.

Vernon Madison is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. Thursday at the state prison in Atmore.

Madison was convicted of killing Mobile police Officer Julius Schulte. Schulte had responded to a domestic call involving Madison. Prosecutors said Madison crept up and shot Schulte in the back of the head as he sat in his police car.

A circuit court last month ruled Madison was competent to be executed despite a decline in his cognitive abilities after a stroke.

Madison would be the second inmate executed in Alabama this year.

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